1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a monitoring system which enhances or supplements established monitoring systems in hospitals and nursing home type environments. More particularly, the present invention concerns a monitoring system for a plurality of medical conditioning monitoring units, such as ventilators.
2. Description of the Background Art
In hospital and nursing homes, patients are often connected to medical condition monitoring equipment, such as ventilators. These ventilators have self-diagnostic sensors to determine if the ventilator (or other type of device) is properly functioning. Further, the ventilator can include sensors to determine if the patient is responding properly (e.g., breathing, normal heart beat rate, blood pressure, temperature, etc.).
If an abnormal occurrence is sensed, the ventilator or other type of monitoring device raises an alarm. The alarm can be raised by an audible sound or blinking light on the monitoring device itself, and/or above the door of the patient's room, and/or on an annunciator panel at a nurses' desk.
There are drawbacks associated with the background art discussed above.